So, you’ve decided to buy a pharmacy point-of-sale system. We love this journey for you! You identified your pain points, set goals, and found a system that will help you with both. But... what happens next?
This is a question we’re often asked as pharmacies get ready to make the change to RMS. We believe that prep work is where the magic happens. We know the overall success of your POS investment can hinge on the first steps you take with your new partner. But what do those first steps look like? What are the factors that separate a strong start from a stutter step?
Here are some of the considerations we bring to every new RMS relationship.
Important work will go into the implementation of your POS system, both on the vendor’s side and yours. Identify the key people on both teams that will work together to bring your goals to fruition.
Sometimes it’s one person running the show in your pharmacy. Maybe that person is you. Sometimes you may have 4 or 5 or more people taking on different responsibilities. You’ll want to consider which team members will need training in which areas, too.
And, of course, you want to know who your vendor’s subject matter experts and project managers are, so you’ll always know who’s on point and where to go with questions. RMS clients get a list of our key players on day one - as well as management contacts, should the need ever arise.
Some of the key players in your POS implementation may be other companies, such as the ones that your system will integrate with to create a whole pharmacy solution. These partners include your wholesalers (for file loads & EDI parameters), your credit card processor, and your pharmacy management system.
Depending on your new POS solution's capabilities, there may be other partnerships to consider, too. For example, RMS customers can add an integration for drug-induced nutrient depletion recommendations, eCommerce and digital couponing, just to name a few.
Some of the many moving parts that go into a new POS implementation may be mission critical. In other words, you can’t hope to take your system live without them.
Identify what your mission critical items are. You may have your own set of requirements based on those pain points and goals that were identified during your sales process. Your POS implementation team should absolutely be able to tell you what items are required for go-live - from information, to prep work, to network setup.
Timing is everything. Identify important dates up front. Does your project have a hard deadline? What dependencies must be met for that deadline to be met? When are the key delivery dates for both items you’re responsible for? When can you expect information, hardware delivery, and training from your POS provider? Which of your key dates have dependencies or other things that must be done before you can take the next step?
What happens the day your pharmacy goes live? What will you cover, and when? Who will be present for each part of the training? Getting your training agenda in advance helps you align staff schedules and set appropriate expectations. We provide one in advance of every RMS go-live.
It’s also important to discuss in advance what happens after training. Who will your support resources be? How do you contact them? For RMS clients, in addition to our 24x7 support line, every customer is assigned a Customer Success Manager to help with long-term product success and goal alignment.
Ready to experience the RMS difference? The process starts with a one-on-one consultation followed by a customized product demo. Book yours today!